Programmable light beam shape altering device using programmable micromirrors

ABSTRACT

A digital micromirror device (“DMD”) is used to alter the shape of light that is projected onto a stage. The DMD selectively reflects some light, thereby shaping the light that is projected onto the stage. The control for the alteration is controlled by an image. That image can be processed, thereby carrying out image processing effects on the shape of the light that is displayed. One preferred application follows the shape of the performer and illuminates the performer using a shape that adaptively follows the performer&#39;s image. This results in a shadowless follow spot.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.09/928,220, filed Aug. 9, 2001, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 09/359,064, filed Jul. 21, 1999, which is adivisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/962,237, filed Oct. 31, 1997,now U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,151, issued Sep. 14, 1999, which is a divisionalof U.S. application Ser. No. 08/598,077, filed Feb. 7, 1996, now U.S.Pat. No. 5,828,485.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a programmable light beamshaping device. More specifically, the present invention Task Force, inthe United States alone, up to 30 percent of the Staphylococcuspneumoniae infections (skin, bone, lung, and bloodstream infections) areno longer provide various effects to those shaped light beams.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It is known in the art to shape a light beam. This has typicallybeen done using an element known as a gobo. A gobo element is usuallyembodied as either a shutter or an etched mask. The gobo shapes thelight beam like a stencil in the projected light.

[0004] Gobos are simple on/off devices: they allow part of the lightbeam to pass, and block other parts to prevent those other parts frompassing. Hence mechanical gobos are very simple devices. Modernlaser-etched gobos go a step further by providing a gray scale effect.

[0005] Typically multiple different gobo shapes are obtained by placingthe gobos are placed into a cassette or the like which is rotated toselect between the different gobos. The gobos themselves can also berotated within the cassette, using the techniques, for example,described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,113,332 and 4,891,738.

[0006] All of these techniques, have the drawback that only a limitednumber of gobo shapes can be provided. These gobo shapes must be definedin advance. There is no capability to provide any kind of gray scale inthe system. The resolution of the system is also limited by theresolution of the machining. This system allows no way to switchgradually between different gobo shapes. In addition, moving between onegobo and another is limited by the maximum possible mechanical motionspeed of the gobo-moving element.

[0007] Various patents and literature have suggested using a liquidcrystal as a gobo. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,121 describes such aliquid crystal device. Our own pending patent application also sosuggests. However, no practical liquid crystal element of this type hasever been developed. The extremely high temperatures caused by blockingsome of this high intensity beam produce enormous amounts of heat. Theprojection gate sometimes must block beams with intensities in excess of10,000 lumens and sometimes as high as 2000 watts. The above-discussedpatent applications discuss various techniques of heat handling.However, because the light energy is passed through a liquid crystalarray, some of the energy must inevitably be stored by the liquidcrystal. Liquid crystal is not inherently capable of storing such heat,and the phases of the liquid crystal, in practice, may be destabilizedby such heat. The amount of cooling required, therefore, has made thisan impractical task. Research continues on how to accomplish this taskmore practically.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to obviate this problemby providing a digital light beam shape altering device, e.g. a gobo,which operates completely differently than any previous device.Specifically, this device embodies the inventor's understanding thatmany of the heat problems in such a system are obviated if the lightbeam shape altering device would selectively deflect, instead ofblocking, the undesired light.

[0009] The preferred mode of the present invention uses adigitally-controlled micromirror semiconductor device. However, anyselectively-controllable multiple-reflecting element could be used forthis purpose. These special optics are used to create the desired imageusing an array of small-sized mirrors which are movably positioned. Themicromirrors are arranged in an array that will define the eventualimage. The resolution of the image is limited by the size of themicromirrors: here 17 um on a side.

[0010] The mirrors are movable between a first position in which thelight is directed onto the field of a projection lens system, or asecond position in which the light is deflected away from the projectionlens system. The light deflected away from the lens will appear as adark point in the resulting image on the illuminated object. The heatproblem is minimized according to the present invention since themicromirrors reflect the unwanted light rather than absorbing it. Theabsorbed heat is caused by the quantum imperfections of the mirror andany gaps between the mirrors.

[0011] A digital micromirror integrated circuit is currentlymanufactured by Texas Instruments Inc., Dallas, Tex., and is describedin “an overview of Texas Instrument digital micromirror device (DMD) andits application to projection displays”. This application note describesusing a digital

[0012] wherein R_(b) is defined as above; blue as well as intensity greyscales are obtained in this system by modulating the micromirror deviceat very high rates of speed. The inventor recognized that this wouldoperate perfectly to accomplish his objectives.

[0013] It is hence an object of the present invention to adapt such adevice which has small-sized movable, digitally controllable mirrorswhich have positions that can be changed relative to one another, to useas a light beam shape altering device in this stage lighting system.

[0014] It is another object of the present invention to use such asystem for previously unheard-of applications. These applicationsinclude active simulation of hard or soft beam edges on the gobo. It isyet another application of the present invention to allow gobocross-fading using time control, special effects and morphing.

[0015] It is yet another object of the present invention to form astroboscopic effect with variable speed and intensity in a stagelighting system. This includes simulation of a flower strobe.

[0016] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide amultiple colored gobo system which can have split colors and rotatingcolors.

[0017] It is yet another object of the present invention to carry outgobo rotation in software, and to allow absolute position and velocitycontrol of the gobo rotation using a time slicing technique.

[0018] Another objective is to allow concentric-shaped images andunsupported images.

[0019] wherein R_(b) is defined as above control system for themicromirror devices which allows such operation.

[0020] Yet another particularly preferred system is a shadowless followspot, which forms an illuminating beam which is roughly of the sameshape as the performer, and more preferably precisely the same as theperformer. The beam shape of the beam spot also tracks the performer'scurrent outline. The spot light follows the performer as it lights theperformer. This action could be performed manually by an operator or viaan automated tracking system, such as Wybron's autopilot.

[0021] Since the beam does not overlap the performer's body outline, itdoes not cast a shadow of the performer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] These and other objects will be readily understood with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023]FIG. 1 shows a single pixel mirror element of the preferred mode,in its first position;

[0024]FIG. 2 shows the mirror element in its second position;

[0025]FIG. 3 shows the mirror assembly of the present invention and itsassociated optics;

[0026]FIG. 4 shows more detail about the reflection carried out by theDMD of the present invention;

[0027]FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the control electronics of thepresent invention;

[0028]FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of a typical operation of the presentinvention;

[0029]FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of operation of edge effects operations;

[0030]FIG. 8A shows a flowchart of a first technique of following aperformer on stage;

[0031]FIG. 8B shows a flowchart of a correlation scheme;

[0032]FIG. 8C shows a flowchart of another correlation scheme;

[0033]FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of a color projection system of thepresent invention;

[0034]FIG. 9A shows a color wheel of the present invention; and

[0035]FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of the shadowless follow spotembodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0036] The preferred embodiment herein begins with a brief descriptionof controllable mirror devices, and the way in which thecurrently-manufactured devices operate.

[0037] Work on semiconductor-based devices which tune thecharacteristics of light passing therethrough has been ongoing since the1970's. There are two kinds of known digital micromirror devices. Afirst type was originally called the formal membrane display. This firsttype used a silicon membrane that was covered with a metalized polymermembrane. The metalized polymer membrane operated as a mirror.

[0038] A capacitor or other element was located below the metalizedelement. When the capacitor was energized, it attracted the polymermembrane and changed the direction of the resulting reflection.

[0039] More modern elements, however, use an electrostatically deflectedmirror which changes in position in a different way. The mirror of thepresent invention, developed and available from Texas Instruments, Inc.uses an aluminum mirror which is sputter-deposited directly onto awafer.

[0040] The individual mirrors are shown in FIG. 1. Each individualmirror includes a square mirror plate 100 formed of reflective aluminumcantilevered on hollow aluminum post 102 on flexible aluminum beams.Each of these mirrors 100 have two stop positions: a landing electrode,which allows them to arrive into a first position shown in FIG. 2, andanother electrode against which the mirror rests when in itsnon-deflected position. These mirrors are digital devices in the sensethat there two “allowable” positions are either in a first positionwhich reflects light to the lens and hence to the illuminated object,and a second position where the light is reflected to a scatteredposition. Light scattering (i.e. selective light reflection) of thistype could also be done with other means, i.e. selectively polarizablepolymers, electronically-controlled holograms, light valves, or anyother means.

[0041] The operation of the dark field projection optics which is usedaccording to the preferred micromirror device is shown in FIG. 3. Thetwo bi-stable positions of the preferred devices are preferably plus orminus 10% from the horizontal.

[0042] An incoming illumination bundle 303 is incident at an arc of lessthan 20E on the digital micromirror device 220. The illumination bouncesoff the mirrors in one of two directions 230 or 232 depending on themirror position. In the first direction 302, the position we call “on”,the information is transmitted in the 0E direction 300 towards lens 302which focuses the information to the desired location 304. In the seconddirection of the mirror, the position we call “off”, the information isdeflected away from the desired location to the direction 306.

[0043] The human eye cannot perceive actions faster than about 1/30second. Importantly, the mirror transit time from tilted left to tiltedright is on the order of 10 Fs. This allows the pixels to be changed inoperation many orders of magnitude faster than the human eye'spersistence of vision.

[0044] Light source 310 used according to the present invention ispreferably a high intensity light source such as a xenon or metal halidebulb of between 600 and 1000 watts. The bulb is preferably surrounded bya reflector of the parabolic or ellipsoidal type which directs theoutput from bulb 300 along a first optical incidence path 305.

[0045] The preferred embodiment of the invention provides a colorcross-fading system 315, such as described in my U.S. Pat. No.5,426,476. Alternately, however, any other color changing system couldbe used. This cross-fading system adjusts the color of the light. Thelight intensity may also be controlled using any kind of associateddimmer; either electronic, mechanical or electromechanical means. Morepreferably, the DMD 320 could be used to control beam intensity asdescribed herein.

[0046] The light beam projected 310 along path 305 is incident to thedigital light altering device embodied as DMD 320, at point 322. The DMDallows operations between two different states. When the mirror in theDMD is pointed to the right, the right beam is reflected along path 325to projection/zoom lens combination 330, 332. The zoom lens combination330, 332 is used to project the image from the DMD 320 onto the objectof illumination, preferably a stage. The size and sharpness quality ofthe image can therefore be adjusted by repositioning of the lens. Whenthe mirror is tilted to the right, the light beam is projected along thelight path 335, away from projection lens 330/332. The pixels which havelight beams projected away from the lens appear as dark points in theresulting image. The dark spots are not displayed on the stage.

[0047] This DMD system reflects information from all pixels. Hence,minimal energy is absorbed in the DMD itself or any of the other optics.The device still may get hot, however not nearly as hot as the liquidcrystal gobos. Cooling 325 may still be necessary. The DMDs can becooled using any of the techniques described in (Bornhorst LCD), or by aheat sink and convection, or by blowing cold air from a refrigerationunit across the device. More preferably, a hot or cool mirror can beused in the path of the light beam to reflect infrared out of the lightbeam to minimize the transmitted heat. FIG. 3 shows hot mirror 330reflecting infra red 332 to heat sink 334. A cold mirror would be usedwith a folded optical path.

[0048] This basic system allows selecting a particular aperture shapewith which to which pass the light. That shape is then defined in termsof pixels, and these pixels are mapped to DMD 320. The DMD selectivelyreflects light of the properly-shaped aperture onto the stage. The restof the light is reflected away.

[0049] The micromirror can be switched between its positions inapproximately 10 Fs. A normal time for frame refresh rate, which takesinto account human persistence of vision, is 1/60th of a second or 60hertz. Various effects can be carried out by modulating the intensity ofeach mirror pixel within that time frame.

[0050] The monolithic integration which is being formed by TexasInstruments includes associated row and column decoders thereon.Accordingly, the system of the present invention need not include thoseas part of its control system.

[0051] Detailed operation of DMD 320 is shown in FIG. 4. The source beamis input to the position 322 which transmits the information eithertowards the stage along path 325 or away from the stage along path 335.

[0052] The various effects which are usable according to the presentinvention include automatic intensity dimming, use of a “shadowlessfollow spot”, hard or soft beam edges, shutter cut simulation, gobocross fading, gobo special effects, stroboscopic effects, color gobos,rotating gobos including absolute position and velocity control, andother such effects and combinations thereof. All of these effects can becontrolled by software running on the processor device. Importantly, thecharacteristics of the projected beam (gobo shape, color etc) can becontrolled by software. This enables any software effect which could bedone to any image of any image format to be done to the light beam. Thesoftware that is used is preferably image processing software such asAdobe Photoshop™, Kai's power tools™ or the like which are used tomanipulate images. Any kind of image manipulation can be mapped to thescreen. Each incremental changes to the image can be mapped to thescreen as it occurs.

[0053] Another important feature of the gobo is its ability to projectunconnected shapes that cannot be formed by a stencil. An example is twoconcentric circles. A concentric circle gobo needs physical connectionbetween the circles. Other unconnected shapes which are capable ofrendering as an image can also be displayed.

[0054] The effects carried out by the software are grouped into threedifferent categories: an edge effects processing; an image shapeprocessing; and a duty cycle processing.

[0055] The overall control system is shown in block diagram form in FIG.5. Microprocessor 500 operates based on a program which executes, interalia, the flowchart of FIG. 6. The light shape altering operatesaccording to a stencil outline. This stencil outline can be any image orimage portion. An image from image source 552 is input to a formatconverter 552 which converts the image from its native form into digitalimage that is compatible with storage on a computer. The preferreddigital image formats include a bitmap format or compressed bitmap formsuch as the GIF, JPEG, PCX format (1 bit per pixel) file, a “BMP” file(8 bits/pixel B/W or 24 bits/pixel color) or a geometric description(vectorized image). Moving images could also be sent in any animationformat such as MPEG or the like. It should be understood that any imagerepresentation format could be used to represent the image, and that anyof these representations can be used to create information that canmodify reflecting positions of the array of reflecting devices. Thepresent specification uses the term “digital representation” togenerically refer to any of these formats that can be used to representan image, and are manipulable by computers.

[0056] Image 554 is input into a working memory 556. BMP formatrepresents each “pixel” picture element of the image by a number ofbits. A typical gray scale bit map image has 8 bits representing eachpixel. A colored image of this type has 8 bits representing each of red,green, and blue representations. This color representation is called a24-bit representation, since 24-bits are necessary for each pixel. Thedescription herein will be given with reference to gray scale imagesalthough it should be understood that this system can also be used withcolor images by forming more detailed maps of the information. Bit mapsare easiest to process, but extremely wasteful of storage space.

[0057] Each memory area, representing each pixel, therefore, has 8 bitstherein. The memory 556 is 576×768 area, corresponding to the number ofmirror elements in the preferred use.

[0058] This image is defined as image No. x, and can be stored innon-volatile memory 520 (e.g., flash RAM or hard disk) for later recalltherefrom. An important feature of the present invention is that theimages are stored electronically, and hence these images can also beelectronically processed in real time using image processing software.Since the preferred mode of the present invention manipulates the imageinformation in bitmap form, this image processing can be carried out ina very quick succession.

[0059] The image to be projected is sent, by processor 500, over channel560, to VRAM 570. Line driver 562 and line receiver 564 buffer thesignal at both ends. The channel can be a local bus inside the lampunit, or can be a transmission line, such as a serial bus. The imageinformation can be sent in any of the forms described above. Standardand commonly available image processing software is available to carryout many functions described herein. These include for example,morphing, rotating, scaling, edge blurring, and other operations thatare described herein. Commercial image processing can use “Kai's PowerTools”, “CorelDraw!”, or “Morph Studio” for example. These functions areshown with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6.

[0060] Step 600 represents the system determining the kind of operationwhich has been requested: between edge processing, image processing, andduty cycle processing. The image processing operations will be definedfirst. Briefly stated, the image processing operations include rotationof the image, image morphing from image 1 to image 2, dynamic control ofimage shape and special effects. Each of these processing elements canselect the speed of the processing to effectively time-slice the image.The morphing of the present invention preferably synchronizes keyframesof the morph with desired time slices.

[0061] Step 602 defines the operation. As described above, thisoperation can include rotation, position shift, and the like. Step 604defines the time or velocity of operation. This time can be ending timefor all or part of the movement, or velocity of the movement. Note thatall of the effects carried out in step 602 require moving some part ofthe image from one position to another.

[0062] Step 606 determine the interval of slicing, depending on thevelocity. It is desirable to slice an appropriate amount such that theuser does not see jerky motion. Ideally, in fact, we could slicemovement of the image one pixel at a time, but this is probablyunnecessary for most applications. One hundred pixel slicing is probablysufficient for all applications. The pixel slices are selected at step606.

[0063] Step 608 calculates using the time or velocity entered at step604 to determine the necessary time for operation based on the amount ofposition shift for rotation over 100 pixel slices. This is done asfollows. Position shift, rotate, and sprite animation are all simplemovements. In both, the points of the image which define the gobo shapemove over time. It is important, therefore, to decide how much movementthere is and how much time that movement will take. A rate of change ofpoints or velocity is then calculated. Of course velocity need not becalculated if it has already been entered at step 604.

[0064] Having velocity of movement and pixels per second, the timebetween slices is calculated using 100 pixels per slice divided by thevelocity in pixels per second. The direction of movement is defined bythis operation.

[0065] Therefore, the image is recalculated at step 610 for each timeinterval. This new image becomes the new gobo stencil at the newlocation. That is to say, the outline of the image is preferably used asthe gobo-light within the image is passed, and light outside the imageis blocked. In the color embodiment described herein, more sophisticatedoperations can be carried out on the image. For example, this is notlimited to stencil images, and could include for example concentriccircles or letter text with font selection.

[0066] At any particular time, the image in the VRAM 570 is used as thegobo stencil. This is carried out as follows. Each element in the imageis a gray scale of 8-bits. Each 1/60th of a second is time-sliced into256 different periods. Quite conveniently, the 8-bit pixel imagecorresponds to 28=256.

[0067] A pixel value of 1 indicates that light at the position of thepixel will be shown on the stage. A pixel value of zero indicates thatlight at the position of the pixel will not be shown on the stage. Anygray scale value means that only part of the intensity pixel will beshown (for only part of the time of the 1/60th of a second time slice).Hence, each element in the memory is applied to one pixel of the DMD,e.g. one or many micromirrors, to display that one pixel on the stage.

[0068] When edge processing is selected at step 600, control passes tothe flowchart of FIG. 7. The edge graying can be selected as either agradual edge graying or a more abrupt edge graying. This includes onearea of total light, one area of only partial light, and one area of nolight. The intensity of the gray scaled outline is continuously gradedfrom full image transmission to no image transmission. The intensityvariation is effected by adjusting the duty cycle of the on and offtimes.

[0069] Step 700 obtains the image and defines its outlines. This iscarried out according to the present invention by determining theboundary point between light transmitting portions (1's) and lightblocking portions (0's). The outline is stretched in all directions atstep 702 to form a larger but concentric image—a stretched image.

[0070] The area between the original image and the stretched image isfilled with desired gray scale information. Step 704 carries this outfor all points which are between the outline and the stretch image.

[0071] This new image is sent to memory 570 at step 706. As describedabove, the image in the memory is always used to project theimage-shaped information. This uses standard display technology wherebythe display system is continually updated using data stored in thememory.

[0072] The duty cycle processing in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is used toform strobe effects and/or to adjust intensity. In both cases, the imageis stored in memory and removed from memory at periodic intervals. Thisoperation prevents any light from being projected toward the stage atthose intervals, and is hence referred to as masking. When the image ismasked, all values in the memory become zero, and hence this projectsall black toward the source. This is done for a time which is shorterthan persistence of vision, so the information cannot be perceived bythe human eye. Persistence of vision averages the total light impingingon the scene. The eye hence sees the duty cycle processing as adifferent intensity.

[0073] The stroboscopic effect turns on and off the intensity, rangingfrom about 1 Hz to 24 Hz. This produces a strobe effect.

[0074] These and other image processing operations can be carried out:(1) in each projection lamp based on a pre-stored or downloaded command;(2) in a main processing console; or (3) in both.

[0075] Another important aspect of the invention is based on theinventor's recognition of a problem that has existed in the art of stagelighting. Specifically, when a performer is on the stage, a spotlightilluminates the performer's area. However, the inventor of the presentinvention recognized a problem in doing this. Specifically, since wewant to see the performer, we must illuminate the performer's area.However, when we illuminate outside the performer's area, it casts ashadow on the stage behind the performer. In many circumstances, thisshadow is undesirable.

[0076] It is an object of this embodiment to illuminate an area of thestage confined to the performer, without illuminating any locationoutside of the performer's area. This is accomplished according to thepresent invention by advantageous processing structure which forms a“shadowless follow spot”. This is done using the basic block diagram ofFIG. 10.

[0077] The preferred hardware is shown in FIG. 10. Processor 1020carries out the operations explained with reference to the followingflowcharts which define different ways of following the performer. Inall of these embodiments, the shape of the performer on the stage isdetermined. This can be done by (1) determining the performer's shape bysome means, e.g. manual, and following that shape; (2) correlating overthe image looking for a human body shape; (3) infra red detection of theperformer's location followed by expanding that location to the shape ofthe performer; (4) image subtraction; (5) detection of special indiceson the performer, e.g. an ultrasonic beacon, or, any other techniqueeven manual following of the image by, for example, an operatorfollowing the performer's location on a screen using a mouse.

[0078]FIG. 8A shows a flowchart of (1) above. At step 8001, theperformer is located within the image. The camera taking the image ispreferably located at the lamp illuminating the scene in order to avoidparallax. The image can be manually investigated at each lamp ordownloaded to some central processor for this purpose.

[0079] Once identified, the borders of the performer are found at 8005.Those borders are identified, for example, by abrupt color changes nearthe identified point. At step 8010, those changes are used to define a“stencil” outline that is slightly smaller than the performer at 8010.That stencil outline is used as a gobo for the light at 8015.

[0080] The performer continues to move, and at 8020 the processorfollows the changing border shape. The changing border shape produces anew outline which is fed to 8010 at which time a new gobo stencil isdefined.

[0081] Alternative (2) described above is a correlation technique. Aflowchart of this operation is shown in FIG. 8B. At step 8101, thecamera obtains an image of the performer, and the performer isidentified within that image. That image issued as a kernel for furtherlater correlation. The entire scene is obtained at step 8105. The wholescene is correlated against the kernel at 8110. This uses known imageprocessing techniques.

[0082] The above can be improved by (3), wherein infra red detectiongives the approximate area for the performer.

[0083] As explained in previous embodiments, the DMD is capable ofupdating its position very often: for example, 106 times a second. Thisis much faster than any real world image can move. Thirty times a secondwould certainly be sufficient to image the performer's movements.Accordingly, the present invention allows setting the number of frameupdates per second. A frame update time of 30 per second is sufficientfor most applications. This minimizes the load on the processor, andenables less expensive image processing equipment to be used.

[0084]FIG. 8C shows the image subtracting technique.

[0085] First, we must obtain a zeroing image. Therefore, the first stepat step 800, is to obtain an image of the stage without the performer(s)thereon. This zero image represents what the stage will look like whenthe performers are not there.

[0086] Between processing iterations, the processor can carry out otherhousekeeping tasks or can simply remain idle.

[0087] Step 802 represents the beginning of a frame update. An image isacquired from the video camera 550 at step 804. The image is stillpreferably arranged in units of pixels, with each pixel including avalue of intensity and perhaps red, green, and blue for that pixel.

[0088] At step 806 subtracts the current image from the zeroed image.The performer image that remains is the image of the performer(s) andother new elements on the stage only. The computer determines at thistime which part of that image we want to use to obtain the shadowlessfollow spot. This is done at step 808 by correlating the image thatremains against a reference, to determine the proper part of the imageto be converted into a shadowless follow spot. The image of theperformer is separated from other things in the image. Preferably it isknown for example what the performer will wear, or some image of aunique characteristic of the performer has been made. That uniquecharacteristic is correlated against the performer image to determinethe performer only at the output of step 808. This image is digitized atstep 810: that is all parts of this image which are not performer areset to zeros so that light at those positions is reflected. In this way,a gobo-like image is obtained at step 810, that gobo-like image being achanging cutout image of the performer. An optional step 812 furtherprocesses this image to remove artifacts, and preferably to shrink theimage slightly so that it does not come too close to the edge of theperformer's outline. This image is then transferred to the VRAM at step814, at which time it is re-entered into the DMD 1012 to form agobo-like mask for the lamp. This allows the light to be appropriatelyshaped to agree with the outline of the performer 1004.

[0089] Another embodiment of the present invention uses the abovedescribed techniques and basic system of the present invention toprovide color to the lamp gobo. This is done using techniques that werepostulated in the early days of color TV, and which now find a reneweduse. This system allows colored gobos, and more generally, allows anyvideo image to be displayed.

[0090]FIG. 9 shows the lamp 310 in a series with a rotating multicoloreddisk 902. FIG. 9a shows the three sectors of the disk. Red sector 950, ablue sector 952, and a green sector 954. The light along the opticalpath 902 is colored by passing through one of these three quadrants, andthen through DMD 320. DMD 320 is driven by a rotating source 910,synchronized with the operation of spinning of the color disk 902. Thevideo is driven to produce a red frame, then a green frame, then a blueframe, one after another, for example. The red filtered video istransferred at the same moment when the red sector 950 is in the lightpath. So as long as the different colors are switched faster than theeye's persistence of vision, the eye will average them together to see afull color scene.

[0091] Although only a few embodiments have been described in detailabove, those having ordinary skill in the art will certainly understandthat many modifications are possible in the preferred embodiment withoutdeparting from the teachings thereof.

[0092] All such modifications are intended to be encompassed within thefollowing claims.

[0093] For example, any direction deflecting device could be used inplace of the DMD. A custom micro mirror device would be transparent, andhave thin mirrors that “stowed” at 90E to the light beam to allow thebeam to pass, and turned off by moving to a reflecting position toscatter select pixels of the light beam. The color changing devicescould be any device including dichroics.

What is claimed is:
 1. A light shape altering device, comprising: amemory, storing information indicative of at least one light shape toshape a perimeter of a light beam to be projected; and a control system,producing a control signal indicative of said one of said shapes, andproducing said control signal as an output in a format to control adigitally controllable light shape altering device.
 2. A device as inclaim 1, said memory stores a plurality of said light shapes, and wheresaid control system selects one of said plurality of light shapes fromsaid memory, as a shape of the light beam to be projected.
 3. A deviceas in claim 1, wherein said control system also allows effectsprocessing on said shape.
 4. A device as in claim 1, wherein saidcontrol signal is in a form that controls a projection of light using adigital micromirror device.
 5. A device as in claim 1, wherein saidplurality of light shapes are stored in said memory in a compressedform.
 6. A device as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of light shapesare stored in said memory in a vectorized form.
 7. A device as in claim1, wherein said plurality of light shapes represent moving light shapes.8. A device as in claim 1, wherein said memory stores a light shapeindicative of two unconnected light shape parts.
 9. A device as in claim1 wherein said control system is operable to change some aspect of theimage over time.
 10. A device as in claim 9, wherein said control systemcontrols on amount of movement of said image and an amount of time thatsaid amount of movement will take.
 11. A device as in claim 9, whereinsaid aspect of said image that is moved is a position of said image. 12.A device as in claim 9, wherein said aspect of said image that is movedis a rotation of said image.
 13. A device as in claim 10, wherein saidcontrol system controls a velocity of movement of said image.
 14. Adevice as in claim 1, wherein said control system produces a firstcontrol signal indicative of a shape for a first primary color, a secondcontrol signal indicative of a shape for a second primary color, and athird control signal indicative of a shape for a third primary color.15. A device as in claim 5, wherein said first, second and third primarycolors are red and green and blue.
 16. A device as in claim 1, whereinsaid control system produces said control signal with a duty cycle tocause dimming of the image.
 17. A device as in claim 1, furthercomprising a light source of high-intensity greater than 600 watts. 18.A lighting controller, comprising: a memory, storing an image in acomputer readable format; a processor, reading said image from saidmemory, allowing changing of an aspect of said image and producing anoutput signal indicative of said image as a signal indicative of a shapeof a light beam to be projected.
 19. A lighting controller as in claim18, wherein said processor allows changing a rotational orientation ofsaid image.
 20. A lighting controller as in claim 19, wherein saidprocessor changes said rotational orientation overtime, thereby rotatingsaid image.
 21. A lighting controller as in claim 18, wherein saidmemory stores a plurality of said images.
 22. A lighting controller asin claim 18, wherein said processor allows changing a position of saidimage.
 23. A lighting controller as in claim 22, wherein said processorchanges of position of said image at a specified velocity.
 24. Alighting controller as in claim 18, wherein said processor is furtheroperative to convert an image from a first format stored in said memoryinto a second format for processing.
 25. A controller as in claim 24,wherein said first format stored in said memory is a compressed format,and said second format is an uncompressed format.
 26. A controller as inclaim 18, wherein said processor further enables image manipulation ofsaid image, followed by using the manipulated image to project a newshapes light beam.
 27. A controller as in claim 26, wherein saidprocessor manipulates said image to effect edges of the image.
 28. Acontroller as in claim 26, wherein said processor manipulates said imageto change a shape of an image over time.
 29. A controller as in claim26, wherein said processor manipulates said image to change an intensityof said image.
 30. A controller as in claim 29, wherein said processorchanges a duty cycle of image projection.
 31. A controller as in claim18, wherein said aspect of said image that is changed includes morphingfrom a first image to a second image.
 32. A controller as in claim 18,wherein said aspect of said image that is changed includes an outershape of said image.
 33. A controller as in claim 18, wherein saidprocessor changes a said shape at a specified time frame.
 34. Acontroller as in claim 33, wherein said time frame defines an intervalof image changes, and changes said image by a specified amount at eachinterval.
 35. A controller as in claim 34, wherein said interval movessaid image by more than one pixel at each interval.
 36. A lightingcontroller, comprising: a memory, storing at least a plurality of imagesrepresenting a plurality of shapes of light beam production; a userinterface, allowing selecting one of said plurality of shapes to use toshape an outer perimeter of a light beam and to select a change to bemade to said outer perimeter and at a speed of making said change; and aprocessor, which operates to change the outer shape of said imageaccording to a selection done by said user interface and producing anoutput signal indicative of an outer perimeter of a light beam to beprojected.
 37. A controller as in claim 36, wherein said changingcomprises determining an amount of movement to carry out at each of aplurality of time intervals, and changing said output signal at each ofsaid plurality of time intervals.
 38. A controller as in claim 36,wherein said time intervals are an amount of time effective to avoidperception of jerky motion.
 39. A controller as in claim 36, whereinsaid processor operates to change a total motion into a plurality ofdifferent motions along the desired path, and to produce changed outputsignals at different times indicative of said different positions alongthe path.
 40. A controller as in claim 36, wherein said change the outershape comprises morphing between a first image and a second image.
 41. Acontroller as in claim 40, wherein said morphing occurs at a specifiedvelocity.
 42. A controller as in claim 40, wherein said change the outershape comprises rotating the image.
 43. A controller as in claim 40,wherein said change the outer shape comprises carrying out a specialeffect on the image.
 44. A controller as in claim 36 wherein saidprocessor is operative to convert an image representation from saidmemory into another format used for controlling the outer shape of theimage.
 45. A controller as in claim 44, wherein said memory stores saidplurality of images in a compressed form.
 46. A controller as in claim44, wherein said memory stores said plurality of images in a compressedform, and said processor is operative to convert said images into anuncompressed form.
 47. A lighting control system, comprising: a memory,storing an image representing a shape of a light beam to be projected;and a processor, converting said image into a map representing states ofelements of the digital light reflecting device, and producing an outputsignal to control said digital light reflecting device to project saidlight beam of said shape.
 48. A system as in claim 47, wherein saidmemory stores of plurality of said light shapes.
 49. A system as inclaim 47, wherein said memory stores said image in a compressed format.50. A system as in claim 49, wherein said processor converts said imagefrom said compressed format to said map which represents an uncompressedformat.
 51. A system as in claim 47, wherein said processor also isoperative to rotate said map to rotate the shape of the light beam beingprojected.
 52. A system as in claim 47, wherein said processor also isoperative to move said map to move the position of the shape of thelight enough being projected.
 53. A system as in claim wherein saidprocessor is operative to change a duty cycle of states of elements ofthe digital light reflecting device to thereby change a brightness ofthe image being projected.
 54. A system, comprising: an image memory,storing at least one image; a user interface, producing an outputindicative of an image representing an aspect of light projection and aposition of said light projection; and a processor, receiving saidoutput from said user interface, and producing an output signal of aform that controls a digital micrometer device to produce said image atsaid position.
 55. A system as in claim 54, wherein said user interfacecontrols at least a shape of light beam being projected, and a speed ofchange of said shape.
 56. A lighting system, comprising a memory,storing at least one compressed image; and a computer part, producing anoutput indicative of said at least one compressed image, said computerpart operable to produce an output indicative of said at least onecompressed image in a form that controls a digital light shape alteringdevice.
 57. A system as in claim 56, wherein said computer part includessoftware for morphing between a first of said compressed images and asecond of said compressed images.
 58. A method, comprising: selecting ashape to be used as a shape for projecting a beam of light, andproducing a control signal indicative thereof; and using said controlsignal to control a digital light shape altering device which produces aprojected beam having a shape that is based on said control signal. 59.A method as in claim 58, wherein said using comprises using said controlsignal to control a digital micromirror device.
 60. A method as in claim58, further comprising selecting an additional aspect of a beam oflight, wherein said control signal is also indicative of said additionalaspect, and said using comprises using said control signal to controlsaid digital light shape altering device to produce said beam that isalso indicative of said additional aspect.
 61. A method as in claim 58,wherein said using comprises using said control signal to control saiddigital light altering device to shape form a colored beam.
 62. A methodas in claim 60, wherein said selecting an additional aspect comprisesselecting a rotation of the shape used for projecting the beam of light,said control signal at a specified being indicative of said shape at anytime during the rotation.
 63. A method as in claim 58, furthercomprising image processing said shape to produce a control signal basedon an image processed shape.
 64. A method as in claim 63, wherein saidimage processing comprises processing an edge of a shape to form aneffect on said edge of said beam of light.
 65. A method as in claim 63,wherein said image processing comprises processing said shape to rotatesaid shape.
 66. A method as in claim 63, further comprising selecting asecond shape, and wherein said image processing comprises morphing thebeam of light from said shape to said second shape.
 67. A method as inclaim 63, wherein said image processing comprises duty cycle processingsaid shape to duty cycle process the beam of light.
 68. A method as inclaim 64, wherein said effect comprises graying of an edge of said shapeby a specified amount to corresponding by gray and edge of said beam oflight.
 69. A method as in claim 67, wherein said duty cycle processingcomprises changing an entire part of the shape to effect an effectiveperceived brightness of the projected beam.
 70. A method as in claim 67,wherein said duty cycle processing comprises forming a stroboscopiceffect on the projected beam.
 71. A method as in claim 63, wherein saidduty cycle processing comprises stretching some part of an outlinedefined by said projected beam.
 72. A method as in claim 63, whereinsaid image processing comprises processing said image to change aposition of said projected beam.
 73. A method as in claim 63, whereinsaid image processing comprises determining a new shape to be used in adisplay of a new projected beam, and selecting a speed with which acurrent beam will be changed to the new shape of the new projected beam.74. A method as in claim 73, wherein said speed comprises a rate atwhich the image will appear to move between the projected beam and thenew projected beam.
 75. A method as in claim 74, further comprisingupdating the shape at specified intervals, and changing the content ofthe beam shape by a specified amount, related to said rate, at each ofsaid specified intervals.
 76. A method as in claim on 63, wherein saidimage processing comprises correlating the image against a reference.77. A method as in claim 63, wherein said image processing comprisescross fading between a first image shape used for projecting the beam,and a second image shape used for projecting the beam at another time.78. A method as in claim 63, wherein said image processing comprisesdynamically controlling the image shape to dynamically control the shapeof the beam.
 79. A method as in claim 58, wherein said selecting a shapecomprises reading a digital file indicative of a selected shape from amemory, and converting said digital file into a map representing anarray of pixels, said map having values for each of a plurality ofpixels, which values represents states of said each pixel.
 80. A methodas in claim 79, wherein said map includes multiple color values for eachof said pixels of said array.
 81. A method, comprising: using a digitaldevice to produce a first color shape at a first time, and to produce asecond color shape at a second time, where an interval between saidfirst and second times is shorter than a human's persistence of vision;and projecting a composite color beam that is based on a combination ofsaid first color shape at said first time, and said second color shapeat said second time, wherein said composite color beam has an outershape that is controlled by said first and second color shapes.
 82. Amethod as in claim 81, wherein said first and second colors are primarycolors.
 83. A method as in claim 81, further comprising producing athird color shape at a third time, wherein said first second and thirdtimes are sufficiently close to be within said persistence of vision,and said composite color beam is shaped based on said first, second andthird color images.
 84. A method as in claim 83, wherein said first,second and third colors are primary colors.
 85. A method as in claim 81,wherein said projecting comprises using a rotating color wheel whoserotation is synchronized with said projecting.
 86. A method as in claim81, further comprising image processing to produce said first and secondshapes based on an image processed shapes.
 87. A method as in claim 86,wherein said image processing comprises processing an edge of saidshapes to form an effect on said edge of said shapes.
 88. A method as inclaim 86, wherein said image processing comprises processing said shapesto rotate said composite shape.
 89. A method as in claim 86, furthercomprising morphing from said composite shape to another shape.
 90. Amethod as in claim 86, wherein said image processing comprises dutycycle processing of the composite shape.
 91. A method as in claim 90,wherein said duty cycle processing comprises changing the projectedcomposite beam to effect and effective perceived brightness of theprojected beam.
 92. A method as in claim 90, wherein said duty cycleprocessing comprises forming a stroboscopic effect on the projectedcomposite beam.
 93. A method as in claim 91, wherein said duty cycleprocessing comprises stretching some part of an outline defining by saidprojected composite beam.
 94. A method as in claim 91, wherein saidimage processing comprises changing a position of said projectedcomposite beam.
 95. A method as in claim 91, wherein said imageprocessing comprises determining a new shape to be used in a display ofa new projected composite beam, and selecting a speed with which acurrent beam will be changed to the new projected composite beam.
 96. Amethod as in claim 95, wherein said speed comprises a rate at which theimage will appear to move between the projected composite beam and thenew projected beam.
 97. A method as in claim 96, further comprisingupdating the beam shape at specified intervals, and changing the contentof the beam shape by a specified amount, related to said rate, at eachof said specified intervals.
 98. A method as in claim 86, wherein saidimage processing comprises correlating against a reference to determinesaid shapes.
 99. A method as in claim 86, wherein said image processingcomprises cross fading between a first image shape used for projectingthe beam, and a second image shape used for projecting the beam.
 100. Amethod as in claim 81, wherein said first and second color shapes areformed by reading a digital file indicative of a selected shape from amemory, and converting said digital file into a map representing anarray of pixels, said map having a value for each of a plurality ofpixels, which value represents a state of said each pixel.
 101. A methodas in claim 79, wherein said map includes multiple color values for eachof said pixels of said array respectively used for said first and secondcolor shapes.
 102. A method comprising: selecting an image to be used asa shape for a projection spot; image processing said image to changesome aspect of said image to produce an image processed image; andproducing an output signal indicative of a shape of said image processedimage, said output signal in a format to control a digital light shapealtering device.
 103. A method as in claim 102, wherein said usingcomprises producing an output signal in a format to control a circuitcontaining a digital micromirror device.
 104. A method as in claim 102,further comprising using said output signal to control said digitallight shape altering device to produce a projection spot in a shapebased on said image as modified by said image processing.
 105. A methodas in claim 102, further comprising using said output signal to controla circuit including a digital micromirror device, to produce aprojection spot based on said basic image as modified by said imageprocessing.
 106. A method as in claim 102, wherein said image processingcomprises processing an edge of said image to form an effect on a shapeof said projection spot.
 107. A method as in claim 102, wherein saidimage processing comprises processing an image to rotate a shape of saidprojection spot.
 108. A method as in claim 102, further comprisingselecting a second image, and wherein said image processing comprisesmorphing a shape of said projection shape from a shape of said image toa shape of said second image.
 109. A method as in claim 102, whereinsaid image processing comprises duty cycle processing the projectionspot.
 110. A method as in claim 102, wherein said effect comprisesgraying of an edge of said shape of said projection spot by a specifiedamount.
 111. A method as in claim 109, wherein said duty cycleprocessing comprises changing the entire image to effect an effectiveperceived brightness of the projection spot.
 112. A method as in claim109, wherein said duty cycle processing comprises forming a stroboscopiceffect on the projection spot.
 113. A method as in claim 102, whereinsaid duty cycle processing comprises stretching some part of an outlinedefined by said shape.
 114. A method as in claim 102, wherein said imageprocessing comprises processing said image to change a position of saidprojection spot.
 115. A method as in claim 102, wherein said imageprocessing comprises determining a new image to be used as a display ofa new projected beam shape, and selecting a speed with which a currentbeam shape will be changed to the new projected beam shape.
 116. Amethod as in claim 115, wherein said speed comprises a rate at which theimage will appear to move between the projected beam shape and the newprojected beam shape.
 117. A method as in claim 116, further comprisingupdating the shape at specified intervals, and changing the content ofthe shape by a specified amount, related to said rate, at each of saidspecified intervals.
 118. A method as in claim on 102, wherein saidimage processing comprises correlating the image against a reference.119. A method as in claim 102, wherein said image processing comprisescross fading between a first image shape used for projecting the beam,and a second image shape used for projecting the beam.
 120. A method asin claim 102, wherein said image processing comprises dynamicallycontrolling the image shape to dynamically control the shape of thebeam.
 121. A method as in claim 102, wherein said selecting a shapecomprises reading a digital file indicative of a selected shape from amemory, and converting said digital file into a map representing anarray of pixels, said map having a value for each of a plurality ofpixels, which value represents a state of said each pixel.
 122. A methodas in claim 121, wherein said map includes multiple color values foreach of said pixels of said array.
 123. A method, comprising:determining a first electronic file indicative of a first shape a lightbeam to be projected at a first time; determining a second electronicfile indicative of a second shape of a second light beam to be projectedat a second time, after said first time; determining interim filesindicative of interim shapes between said first and second light shapes;and outputting said files to control said shapes of said light beams.124. A method as in claim 123, further comprising using said files tocontrol a digital light shape altering device, to produce said first andsecond shapes at said times.
 125. A method as in claim 123, wherein saidinterim files are each produced at times which are sufficiently closetogether to prevent a user from perceiving uneven motion of the shapes.126. A method as in claim 123, wherein said interim files are eachproduced to cause a maximum pixel shift of x, where x is a number ofpixels selected to minimize a chance that a user will perceive unevenmotion in the moving shape.
 127. A method as in claim 126, wherein x is100 pixels.
 128. A method as in claim 123, wherein said first and secondelectronic files are representative of maps which represent on and offstates of each of a plurality of pixels of an array of pixels.
 129. Amethod as in claim 123, further comprising determining said secondelectronic file by image processing operation.
 130. A method as in claim124, further comprising processing an edge of said image to form aneffect on said edge of said image.
 131. A method as in claim 123,further comprising processing an image to rotate said image.
 132. Amethod as in claim 123, wherein said interim files represent morphingfrom said first shape to said second shape.
 133. A method as in claim123, further comprising duty cycle processing the image.
 134. A methodas in claim 130, wherein said effect comprises graying an edge of saidshape by a specified amount.
 135. A method as in claim 133, wherein saidduty cycle processing comprises changing the entire image to effect aneffective perceived brightness of the image.
 136. A method as in claim133, wherein said duty cycle processing comprises forming a stroboscopiceffect on the image.
 137. A method as in claim 133, wherein said dutycycle processing comprises stretching some part of an outline defined bysaid shape.
 138. A method as in claim 123, further comprising updatingthe shapes at specified intervals, and changing the content of the beamshape by a specified amount, related to said rate, at each of saidspecified intervals.
 139. A method as in claim 123, further comprisingcross fading between said first and second image shapes.
 140. A methodas in claim 123, wherein said image processing comprises dynamicallycontrolling the image shape to dynamically control the shape of thebeam.
 141. A method as in claim 123, wherein said determining a shapecomprises reading a digital file indicative of a selected shape from amemory, and converting said digital file into a map representing anarray of pixels, said map having a value for each of a plurality ofpixels, which value represents a state of said each pixel.
 142. A methodas in claim 137, wherein said map includes multiple color values foreach of said pixels of said array.
 143. A method, comprising: reading afirst electronic file indicative of a beam shape, for a beam of light,from a memory; forming a map from said compressed electronic file, saidmap indicative of states of an array of pixels of size x by y to formsaid beam shape; and outputting said map.
 144. A method as in claim 143,further comprising using said map to control a digital light shapealtering device.
 145. A method as in claim 143, further comprising usingsaid map to control a digital Micro mirror device.
 146. A method as inclaim 143, wherein said reading comprises reading a compressedelectronic file, and said forming a map comprises forming said map usingan uncompressed version of said first electronic file.
 147. A method asin claim 146, wherein said forming a map comprises converting said firstelectronic file to a second format different then said first format.148. A method as in claim 147, wherein said second format comprises abit map format, where each of a plurality of pixels is represented by aplurality of bits.
 149. A method as in claim 147, further comprisingcarrying out an image processing operation on said first electronic fileto form and image processed file, and using said image processed file toform said map.
 150. A method as in claim 149, wherein said imageprocessing comprises processing an edge of an image represented by saidfirst electronic file to form an effect on said edge of said image. 151.A method as in claim 149, wherein said image processing comprisesprocessing an image represented by said first electronic file to rotatesaid image.
 152. A method as in claim 149, further comprising selectinga second shape, and wherein said image processing comprises morphingfrom said beam shape to said second shape.
 153. A method as in claim149, wherein said image processing comprises duty cycle processing theimage represented by said first electronic file.
 154. A method as inclaim 149, wherein said image processing comprises cross fading betweena first image shape used for projecting the beam, and a second imageshape used for projecting the beam.
 155. A method as in claim 149,wherein said image processing comprises dynamically controlling theimage shape to dynamically control the shape of the beam.
 156. A methodas in claim 143, wherein said selecting a shape comprises reading adigital file indicative of a selecting shape from a memory, andconverting said digital file into a map representing an array of pixels,said map having a value for each of a plurality of pixels, which valuerepresents a state of said each pixel.
 157. A method as in claim 156,wherein said map includes multiple color values for each of said pixelsof said array.
 158. A method, comprising: using a first file to form anoutput signal to control a digital light shape altering device toproduce a first shape at a first time; at a second time, subsequent tosaid first time, recalculating a new image representing a desiredincremental change in said shape and using said new image to controlsaid digital light shape altering device, wherein said desiredincremental change represents an incremental change between said firstshape and a desired second shape to be produced at a second time aftersaid first shape.
 159. A method as in claim 158, further comprisingselecting said second shape, and selecting a time associated withproducing said second shape, and wherein said recalculating comprisesrecalculating an incremental part between said first shape and saidsecond shape.
 160. A method as in claim 159, further comprisingselecting an action on said first file which action results in saidsecond shape, and wherein said action includes an image processingaction.
 161. A method as in claim 160, wherein in said image processingaction comprises processing an edge of an image to form an effect onsaid edge of said image.
 162. A method as in claim 160, wherein saidimage processing action comprises processing an image to rotate saidimage.
 163. A method as in claim 160, wherein said image processingcomprises morphing from said image to said new image.
 164. A method asin claim 160, wherein said image processing comprises duty cycleprocessing the image.
 165. A method as in claim 164, wherein said dutycycle processing comprises changing the entire image to effect aneffective perceived brightness of the image.
 166. A method as in claim158, further comprising updating a beam shape at specified intervals,and changing the content of the beam shape by a specified amount,related to said rate, at each of said specified intervals.
 167. A methodas in claim 158, wherein said incremental change is part of a crossfading a first image shape used for projecting the beam, and a secondimage shape used for projecting the beam.
 168. A method as in claim 158,wherein said selecting a shape comprises reading a digital fileindicative of a selecting shape from a memory, and converting saiddigital file into a map representing an array of pixels, said map havinga value for each of a plurality of pixels, which value represents astate of said each pixel.
 169. A method, comprising: producing a beam oflight to be used as a stage lighting beam, said beam of light having anintensity greater than 600 watts; filtering said beam of light using afilter that reflects at least some of its infrared energy; and digitallycontrolling and element in a path of said beam of light after saidfiltering to shape said beam of light according to said digitallycontrolling.
 170. A method as in claim 169, wherein said filteringcomprises using a cold mirror.
 171. A method as in claim 169, whereinsaid digitally controlling an element comprises digitally controlling adigital micromirror device.
 172. A method as in claim 169, wherein saiddigitally controlling comprises an image processing said shape toproduce a control signal based on an image processed shape.
 173. Amethod as in claim 172, wherein in said image processing comprisesprocessing an edge of said shape to form an effect on said edge of saidbeam.
 174. A method as in claim 172, wherein said image processingcomprises processing an image to rotate said image.
 175. A method as inclaim 172, further comprising selecting a second shape, and wherein saidimage processing comprises morphing from said shape to said secondshape.
 176. A method as in claim 172, wherein said image processingcomprises duty cycle processing the image.
 177. A method as in claim176, wherein said duty cycle processing comprises changing an entireimage to effect an effective perceived brightness of the image.
 178. Amethod as in claim 169, wherein said image processing comprises crossfading between a first image shape used for projecting the beam, and asecond image shape used for projecting the beam.
 179. A method as inclaim 169, wherein said selecting a shape comprises reading a digitalfile indicative of a selected shape from a memory, and converting saiddigital file into a map representing an array of pixels, said map havinga value for each of a plurality of pixels, which value represents astate of said each pixel.
 180. A method as in claim 179, wherein saidmap includes multiple color values for each of said pixels of saidarray.
 181. A method, comprising: selecting a basic Aperture shape froma memory; converting said basic Aperture shape to a plurality of states,each representing a state of a pixel of an array; and producing andoutput signal indicative thereof.
 182. A method as in claim 181, furthercomprising using said output signal to control a digital light shapealtering device.
 183. A method as in claim 181, further comprising usingsaid output signal to control a digital Micromirror device.
 184. Amethod as in claim 181, further comprising changing said Aperture shapeaccording to an image processing operation.
 185. A method, comprising:displaying a beam of light in a specified and controlled shape; anddigitally dimming said beam of light by adjusting a duty cycle betweenon and off times of said beam of light at a speed faster than humanpersistence of vision.
 186. A method as in claim 185, further comprisingcontrolling said shape of said beam of light such that light inside anoutline is passed and light outside the outline is blocked.
 187. Amethod as in claim 185, further comprising maintaining a maprepresenting which of a plurality of pixels of an array are passed andwhich on said plurality of pixels are blocked.
 188. A method as in claim187, wherein said displaying comprises using a digital Micro mirrordevice to display said beam of light.
 189. A method as in claim 185,further comprising changing said shape.
 190. A method as in claim 189,wherein said changing said shape comprises changing said shape accordingto a specified image processing operation.
 191. A method as in claim190, wherein in said image processing comprises processing an edge of animage to form an effect on said edge of said image.
 192. A method as inclaim 190, wherein said image processing comprises processing an imageto rotate said image.
 193. A method as in claim 190, further comprisingselecting a second shape, and wherein said image processing comprisesmorphing from said shape to said second shape.
 194. A method as in claim190, wherein said image processing comprises duty cycle processing theimage.
 195. A method as in claim 194, wherein said duty cycle processingcomprises changing the entire image to effect an effective perceivedbrightness of the image.
 196. A method as in claim 190, wherein saidimage processing comprises determining a new image to be used as in adisplay of a new projected beam, and selecting a speed with which acurrent beam will be changed to the new projected beam.
 197. A method asin claim 196, wherein said speed comprises a rate at which the imagewill appear to move between the projected beam and the new projectedbeam.
 198. A method as in claim 197, further comprising updating thebeam shape at specified intervals, and changing the content of the beamshape by a specified amount, related to said rate, at each of saidspecified intervals.
 199. A method as in claim 190, wherein said imageprocessing comprises cross fading between a first image shape used forprojecting the beam, and a second image shape used for projecting thebeam.
 200. A method as in claim 181, wherein said selecting a shapecomprises reading a digital file indicative of a selecting shape from amemory, and converting said digital file into a map representing anarray of pixels, said map having a value for each of a plurality ofpixels, which value represents a state of said each pixel.
 201. Amethod, comprising: forming a beam of light in a shape that projectscompletely unconnected shapes of a type that cannot be formed using andetched metal Gobo.
 202. A method as in claim 201, wherein saidunconnected shapes include two concentric circles.
 203. A method as inclaim 201, wherein said forming comprises forming a first stenciloutline for a first of said shapes and forming a second stencil outlinefor a second of said shapes.
 204. A method as in claim 201, furthercomprising forming said shapes using an processing operation.
 205. Amethod as in claim 201, wherein said forming a beam of light comprisesreading a digital file indicative of a selected shape from a memory, andconverting said digital file into a map representing an array of pixels,said map having a value for each of a plurality of pixels, which valuerepresents a state of said each pixel.
 206. A method as in claim 205,wherein said map includes multiple color values for each of said pixelsof said array.
 207. A method, comprising: projecting a beam of lightfrom a lighting device in a specified shape towards a target; detectingand/action which is occurring at the target; and changing said specifiedshape according to said action which is occurring.
 208. A method as inclaim 207, wherein said action comprises movement of a performer on astage.
 209. A method, comprising projecting a beam of light from alighting device in a specified shape towards a target; and updating saidspecified shape at least 30 times per second.
 210. A method as in claim209, wherein said specified shape is in a specified color.